Fare and route suggestions?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Melksham to London - as early as possible on 28th May
London to Manchester - around 6 p.m. on 28th May
Manchester to as near to Melksham as possible - around 6 p.m. on 31st May

Don't mind taking something a bit slower to Manchester or back to Melksham area (Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge of Chippenham). I need to be in London by 09:00 on 28th, though!

[grahame]

OK ... I'm guessing there was nothing really clever to be suggested for this one.  I've booked out from Trowbridge and back to Chippenham for 143.00 with flexible tickets and no splits that mean I have to be careful to catch a train stopping at "X", and no "London Midland Only" tickets so I can do the London / Manchester in a shade over 2 hours.  Please don't tell me if I've been "done" 

[thetrout]

I didn't see this one grahame... But if you're planning to catch the 17:30 from Manchester Piccadilly to Bristol Temple Meads... I could say you haven't been done... But I'd be lying...

You may recall my thread on XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))'s rather insidious Advance Fares Structure where I saved my Dads employer half the price of a 1 First Class Advance through ticket for the same train but with 4 separate tickets!

[grahame]

I didn't see this one grahame... But if you're planning to catch the 17:30 from Manchester Piccadilly to Bristol Temple Meads... I could say you haven't been done... But I'd be lying...

And in turn I missed your follow up ...

Trowbridge to London via Warminster and Salisbury - anytime Day single - 37 pounds or so
London to Manchester offpeak return - around 77 pounds (just a pound more than a single)
London to Chippenham - superoffpeak single - 28 pounds or so

Gives me flexibiity; I was in London until the early evening yesterday, and I won't be leaving Manchester until quite late on Friday.   Glad I didn't use LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise) splits - their service was in chaos yesterday, and the 20 pounds or so saved on the return trip London - Manchester would have been far more hassle than it was worth. 

[bobm]

..and just as well you were not relying on the northbound Melksham service this morning.  Left Westbury 27 minutes late because of a problem with units.

[grahame]

Off Peak Return, London to Manchester, 77.30 ... return validity on Friday afternoon - ANY train - right? (evening restrictions are only northboound?)   I may be away earlier than planned - I think I'm OK to get any service but just asking the experts to make sure.

[bobm]

Looking at www.brfares.com it appears your ticket has the restriction 9I - which for return journeys means it is valid:-

ARRIVE: LONDON EUSTON
Before 0720 or at or after
1130.

So I would say "go for it".

[grahame]

Looking at www.brfares.com it appears your ticket has the restriction 9I - which for return journeys means it is valid:-

ARRIVE: LONDON EUSTON
Before 0720 or at or after
1130.

So I would say "go for it".

Thanks, Bob ... forgot that site ... been a busy morning.   Looks like good (if slightly surprising) news for me.  No need to wait for 19:00!

[trainer]

Thanks from me too, bobm.  I have never heard of this site and now all the postings elsewhere about codes begin to make sense and I shall be checking this in future each time I need to travel a complicated route or at a peak time. Once again the forum educates.